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Stage 5 - March 5: Thredbo - Khancoban, 77.3 km

World champion stage

By Jeff Jones

Go Zina!
Photo: © Tom Balks/CN

The Tour de Snowy took an interesting twist today with the first serious mountain stage from Thredbo to Khancoban. Despite a generally downhill profile, there was more than enough in the first category climb to Scammell's Ridge, with its summit at 62 kilometres, to completely split the bunch. On the climb, Belorussian World Champion Zinaida Stahurskaia (GAS) rode the legs off everyone and looked set for a solo win. That was until race leader Anna Millward caught her with 3 kilometres to go, eventually taking second place but keeping the overall lead.

Although not a noted climber, Millward had benefitted from the work of her Saturn team which paved the way for her incredible bridging attempt on the final descent. It started when yesterday's stage winner, Anke Erlank put in a strong attack in the early part of the stage, taking Autotrader.com's Pam Shuster with her. The pair established over a 2 minute lead on the peloton, which was constantly breaking up and reforming on the sharp undulations that marked the stage.

Catch the leader
Photo: © Tom Balks/CN

However, Shuster was in trouble whenever the road went uphill, while Erlank calmly pedalled away. The South African held her lead until she reached the bottom of the fierce climb of Scammell's Ridge, a twisting 9 kilometre ascent with its summit at 1020m. In the first 2 kilometres, Erlank looked good but suddenly found herself accompanied by Zinaida Stahurskaia, who had attacked from the main group at kilometre 40.

Once she caught Erlank, Stahurskaia wasted no time in attacking again, dropping her within one kilometre. By the top, she had a 1'35 lead on five riders: Saturn's Anna Millward, Kim Bruckner and Erlank, with Kim Shirley (AIS) and Priska Doppman (Acca Due O) along. With 16 kilometres of descent to come, it seemed unlikely that Anna Millward would regain the Belorussian. However, she decided to leave her teammates and try on her own, using her excellent descending skills to bridge the gap.

Shirley got the QOM
Photo: © Jeff Jones/CN

When Zinaida heard her coming, she didn't panic as she knew she was feeling strong. When Millward finally caught her on the outskirts of Khancoban, she only had enough energy to hang on to the World Champion's wheel in the final uphill sprint. She succeeded in gaining a few bonus seconds on her rival, but will have to wait until tomorrow to try and wrest the jersey from Millward.

Speaking through interpreter Mari Holden (who finished 8th), Stahurskaia described the hill as "very difficult...I passed the Autotrader.com girl and then caught up with Erlank."

When Anna caught her she was still confident that she would win, describing her first win as World Champion as "very important. It's a really big deal and will help my confidence for the rest of the season. It's a good sign."

Although Anna Millward used every trick in the book to hold on today, tomorrow's stage will be far more challenging, finishing at Cabramurra at an altitude of 1532 m. This climb is even longer than today's and Stahurskaia certainly has the form to take a couple of minutes out of her closest rivals.

Results

1 Zinaida Stahurskaia (Blr) GAS Sport           2.07.38 (36.34 km/h)

2 Anna Millward (Aus) Saturn
3 Priska Doppmann (Swi) Acca Due O-H.P.            1.45
4 Kim Shirley (Aus) AIS
5 Anke Erlank (RSA) Saturn
6 Kimberly Bruckner (USA) Saturn
7 Margaret Hemsley (Aus) AIS                       2.31
8 Mari Holden (USA) Alfa Lum R.S.M.
9 Mirjam Melchers (Ned) Acca Due O-H.P.
10 Hayley Rutherford (Aus) AIS                     3.40
11 Roberta Bonanomi (Ita) GAS Sport
12 Melissa Holt (NZl) New Zealand
13 Sara Carrigan (Aus) AIS
14 Lara Ruthven (USA) Carpe Diem-Itera
15 Sigrid Corneo (Ita) Carpe Diem-Itera
16 Rosalind Reekie-May (NZl) New Zealand
17 Susy Pryde (NZl) Autotrader.com
18 Kim Smith (USA) Autotrader.com
19 Fany Lecourtois (Fra) Alfa Lum R.S.M.
20 Karen Sumpton (Aus) AIS
21 Emma Carney (Aus) Jayco VIS
22 Pam Shuster (USA) Autotrader.com                6.25
23 Sarah Ulmer (NZl) Autotrader.com
24 Natasha Harrigan (Aus) Bicisport
25 Katie Mactier (Aus) Jayco VIS                   7.25
26 Natalie Bates (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team
27 Olivia Gollan (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team
28 Kirsty Robb (NZl) New Zealand
29 Jennifer Manefield (Aus) Bicisport              9.29
30 Erin Philp (Aus) Australian Regional
31 Miho Oki (Jap) Japan Cycling Federation
32 Giovanna Troldi (Ita) Acca Due O-H.P.
33 Vera Hohlfeld (Ger) Acca Due O-H.P.
34 Tatiana Stiajkina (Ukr) Alfa Lum R.S.M.
35 Silvia Parietti (Ita) GAS Sport
36 Kerry Hellmuth (USA) Carpe Diem-Itera
37 Bridget Evans (Aus) Bicisport
38 Alison Wright (Aus) AIS
39 Sara Felloni (Ita) Alfa Lum R.S.M.
40 Vanessa Cheatley (NZl) New Zealand
41 Elizabeth Tadich (Aus) Jayco VIS
42 Kate Bates (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team               10.31
43 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team         12.32
44 Naomi Williams (Aus) Jayco VIS
45 Jeanette Schwarz (Aus) Australian Regional
46 Emma James (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team
47 Luisana Pegoraro (Ita) Carpe Diem-Itera
48 Julie Hooper (Aus) City Cycles Melbourne       14.23
49 Vera Carrara (Ita) Carpe Diem-Itera            15.20
50 Alex Harrison (Aus) Team-Bizar.com             16.05
51 Alex Harrison (Aus) Team-Bizar.com
52 Gabriella Pregnolato (Ita) GAS Sport           18.50
53 Annie Gariepy (Can) Autotrader.com             19.14
54 Sue McCarthy (Aus) City Cycles Melbourne       19.27
55 Rebecca Locke (Aus) Australian Regional
56 Helen Kelly (Aus) Jayco VIS
57 Rebecca Cleveland (Aus) Team-Bizar.com
58 Louisa Hamilton-White (Aus) City Cycles Melbourne
59 Jessica Amy (Aus) Jayco VIS                    19.36
60 Sophie Freshwater (Aus) Australian Regional    24.03
61 Victoria Kirkby (Aus) Team-Bizar.com           25.02
62 Mary Rogers (Aus) City Cycles Melbourne        27.01
62 Simone Poulos (Aus) Bicisport                  25.02
63 Nora Moeke (NZl) New Zealand                   27.01
64 Rebecca McConnell (Aus) Team-Bizar.com         30.21
65 Kanako Nishi (Jap) Japan Cycling Federation    33.36
DNF Ljudmila Corneo (Ita) Carpe Diem-Itera
DNF Emma Rickards (Aus) Team-Bizar.com
DNF Kristy Scrymgeour (Aus) Saturn
 
Mountains
 
Scammell's Ridge - Cat. 1, km 61.8  
 
1 Zinaida Stahurskaia (Blr) GAS Sport     10 pts
2 Kim Shirley (Aus) AIS                    8
3 Anke Erlank (RSA) Saturn                 6
4 Anna Millward (Aus) Saturn               4
5 Priska Doppmann (Swi) Acca Due O-H.P.    2
 
General classification after stage 5
 
1 Anna Millward (Aus) Saturn                    6.32.42
2 Zinaida Stahurskaia (Blr) GAS Sport              0.47
3 Anke Erlank (RSA) Saturn                         2.53
4 Kim Shirley (Aus) AIS                            3.00
5 Priska Doppmann (Swi) Acca Due O-H.P.            3.15
6 Kimberly Bruckner (USA) Saturn                   3.30
7 Mirjam Melchers (Ned) Acca Due O-H.P.            3.55
8 Mari Holden (USA) Alfa Lum R.S.M.                4.04
9 Margaret Hemsley (Aus) AIS                       4.06
10 Sara Carrigan (Aus) AIS                         5.05
11 Rosalind Reekie-May (NZl) New Zealand           5.17
12 Roberta Bonanomi (Ita) GAS Sport                5.25
13 Sigrid Corneo (Ita) Carpe Diem-Itera
14 Susy Pryde (NZl) Autotrader.com
15 Kim Smith (USA) Autotrader.com
16 Fany Lecourtois (Fra) Alfa Lum R.S.M.
17 Hayley Rutherford (Aus) AIS
18 Karen Sumpton (Aus) AIS
19 Melissa Holt (NZl) New Zealand
20 Lara Ruthven (USA) Carpe Diem-Itera             6.15
21 Emma Carney (Aus) Jayco VIS                     7.23
22 Sarah Ulmer (NZl) Autotrader.com                8.10
23 Pam Shuster (USA) Autotrader.com
24 Natasha Harrigan (Aus) Bicisport
25 Katie Mactier (Aus) Jayco VIS                   9.10
26 Kirsty Robb (NZl) New Zealand
27 Natalie Bates (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team
28 Olivia Gollan (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team
29 Tatiana Stiajkina (Ukr) Alfa Lum R.S.M.        11.14
30 Vanessa Cheatley (NZl) New Zealand
31 Jennifer Manefield (Aus) Bicisport
32 Bridget Evans (Aus) Bicisport
33 Vera Hohlfeld (Ger) Acca Due O-H.P.            14.43
34 Elizabeth Tadich (Aus) Jayco VIS
35 Giovanna Troldi (Ita) Acca Due O-H.P.          15.15
36 Kerry Hellmuth (USA) Carpe Diem-Itera          15.33
37 Miho Oki (Jap) Japan Cycling Federation        15.37
38 Sara Felloni (Ita) Alfa Lum R.S.M.             16.25
39 Erin Philp (Aus) Australian Regional           16.25
40 Alison Wright (Aus) AIS                        16.53
41 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team         17.26
42 Luisana Pegoraro (Ita) Carpe Diem-Itera        17.46
43 Silvia Parietti (Ita) GAS Sport                19.02
44 Naomi Williams (Aus) Jayco VIS                 19.07
45 Jeanette Schwarz (Aus) Australian Regional     19.28
46 Emma James (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team               19.45
47 Kate Bates (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team               22.11
48 Vera Carrara (Ita) Carpe Diem-Itera            22.33
49 Annie Gariepy (Can) Autotrader.com             25.05
50 Julie Hooper (Aus) City Cycles Melbourne       25.50
51 Jessica Amy (Aus) Jayco VIS                    28.35
52 Rebecca Locke (Aus) Australian Regional        28.59
53 Gabriella Pregnolato (Ita) GAS Sport           29.52
54 Alex Harrison (Aus) Team-Bizar.com             33.00
55 Rebecca Cleveland (Aus) Team-Bizar.com         33.55
56 Helen Kelly (Aus) Jayco VIS                    39.24
57 Louisa Hamilton-White (Aus) City Cycles Melb.  42.48
58 Simone Poulos (Aus) Bicisport                  45.52
59 Sophie Freshwater (Aus) Australian Regional    50.50
60 Nora Moeke (NZl) New Zealand                   55.56
61 Victoria Kirkby (Aus) Team-Bizar.com           58.13
62 Sue McCarthy (Aus) City Cycles Melbourne       59.58
63 Kanako Nishi (Jap) Japan Cycling Federation  1.04.11
64 Mary Rogers (Aus) City Cycles Melbourne      1.12.52
65 Rebecca McConnell (Aus) Team-Bizar.com       1.19.18

Points classification
 
1 Anna Millward (Aus) Saturn                       21 pts
2 Rochelle Gilmore (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team            9
3 Zinaida Stahurskaia (Blr) GAS Sport               7
4 Anke Erlank (RSA) Saturn                          5
5 Sara Carrigan (Aus) AIS                           4
6 Mirjam Melchers (Ned) Acca Due O-H.P.             3
7 Sarah Ulmer (NZl) Autotrader.com                  3
8 Alison Wright (Aus) AIS                           3
9 Priska Doppmann (Swi) Acca Due O-H.P.             2
10 Mari Holden (USA) Alfa Lum R.S.M.                2
11 Kim Shirley (Aus) AIS                            2
12 Naomi Williams (Aus) Jayco VIS                   2
13 Kate Bates (Aus) NSWIS Trek Team                 2
14 Giovanna Troldi (Ita) Acca Due O-H.P.            1
 
Mountains classification
 
1 Zinaida Stahurskaia (Blr) GAS Sport              20 pts
2 Kim Shirley (Aus) AIS                            12
3 Anna Millward (Aus) Saturn                        7
4 Anke Erlank (RSA) Saturn                          7
5 Mirjam Melchers (Ned) Acca Due O-H.P.             6
6 Priska Doppmann (Swi) Acca Due O-H.P.             5
7 Mari Holden (USA) Alfa Lum R.S.M.                 2
8 Margaret Hemsley (Aus) AIS                        2
9 Emma Carney (Aus) Jayco VIS                       1

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